Where Did The Time Go
by Eternal Love Song
Summary: Todoroki gets an invitation to Momo's wedding. He doesn't take the news well. [Aged Up Characters, unhappy ending]


Todoroki was fairly certain this was one of the worst days of his life. He hadn't ranked them as they'd happened, not since his first worst day, the one that he wore like a brand since the day it had happened. But he had healed since that day, he'd had other bad days, and he hadn't ranked them, hadn't felt the need to do so, until now.

So, the worst day was the day he got his scar.

The second worst day was receiving an invitation to Momo's wedding.

Todoroki was late to realizing how much he loved Momo. There had been lot going on while they were at U.A, but they'd grown closer each year and he was sure that they were steps away from getting together before he went overseas to study abroad. She'd kissed him before he left and he'd only realized once he was on the plane that he was possibly making a huge mistake. But they'd kept in contact, she'd come to visit, they were perhaps closer than they'd ever been. He'd been looking forward to reuniting with her.

He hadn't heard anything about her dating, let alone... this.

He stared forlornly at the invitation in his hand for far too long.

* * *

They met for lunch. He held a painful hope in his heart, unnamed, unacknowledged, but tearing him up slowly as they sat across from each other. Each one of her smiles soothed and agitated it turns.

"You never mentioned him," Todoroki said out of the blue. He hadn't meant to. She was in the middle of telling him a story of their old classmates, it was rude to interrupt, but the words seemed to come from him without permission. She stopped to tilt her head curiously and he had no choice but to finish the thought now that it was out. "When we talked, you never mentioned that you were seeing someone. It seems... sudden."

She blushed prettily. He didn't think he'd ever told her how pretty she was, how stunning and fierce and amazing she was. He'd thought he had time, that they would have time, no he felt the sands of an hour glass slipping through his fingers. "It happened a littler fast, I admit. At first I didn't want to... well, you never seemed like you cared about that stuff. I thought you would... say something if... but, you didn't and then things just kinda... I guess you could call it a whirlwind romance."

He'd never seen her so giddy. She was so expressive, talking with her whole body. Her hands danced along with her words, she bit her lip when she hesitated, gazed at him shyly, only to turn around and smile like she held the sun's passion in her heart. It was really too late for him, wasn't it? She had already blown past him and he hadn't even noticed.

He wanted to smile when he lied to her, but he couldn't bring himself to do that. He lied all the same, though. "I'm happy for you."

He was rewarded with one of those brilliant smiles. "Thanks, Shouto."

* * *

He didn't go to the wedding.

He wanted to. He wanted to be someone that could be happy for her. He wanted to be able to congratulate her with his whole heart. He couldn't do that, though. And he didn't want to be one of those people that would make a scene as they objected to the union. She didn't deserve that and he didn't know that he could watch her kiss another man and not cause a scene.

He sat on top of a rooftop and watched the church. Watched as people slowly trickled, felt his heart wilting and dying. He gripped his phone too tighly in his hand, wanting to text her, call her, do something to let her know how he felt. That wouldn't be fair to her, though. He'd had his chance. He'd had so mny chances to say something, do something, and he'd let them slip by. It would be wrong to impose on someone else's time, on her time, when she'd already mad her choice.

But his body was tense and primed to move, dying to storm in there and plead his case. Frost was slowly spreading out from his agitated form, his fingers were digging into his palms, he was biting his lip hard enough that it was probably bleeding.

"Todoroki? What are you doing here?"

Todoroki looked up. He was surprised that anyone would be here and he didn't expect that the person to find him would be Midoriya. Though, given hid friend's track record, he probably should have. "Midoriya. I didn't think anyone else would be up here."

Midoriya smiled at him. It was a sad smile, encouraging, understanding. Todoroki had to look away from it, didn't want to be reminded of things that he couldn't forget. "I take it you're not going to the wedding?"

"No."

"Me neither," Midoriya said. "I want to, but Kacchan would probably like it better if I stayed away."

Todoroki didn't reply. There was context there, subtext and history that he could read if he wanted to, an opening to ask about what had changed and what hadn't if he wanted to know. He didn't. Assuming that everyone else's life was the same had just as much impact to him as deciding that it wasn't. There was only once person's life that he'd wanted to be the same, no one else really concerned him in the moment.

Midoriya sat next to him without asking. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He did. He couldn't. He was afraid if he opened his mouth he would break down. The pain was already silently ripping him apart and he didn't think if it got out he'd be able to put it back inside. He shook his head and Midoriya accepted that with an understanding smile.

"I can keep you company, if you want," he offered.

Todoroki nodded.

Midoriya didn't say anything else.

He ended up crying anyway, not five minutes later, imagining what she must look like, what she must be thinking, how happy she must be without him. If he sat here long enough he'd have to see her walking out in her white dress with another man on her arm. Bakugo of all people. Not that it made a difference if it was him or someone else. It only mattered that it wasn't, couldn't be, Todoroki.

Midoriya placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. He didn't speak, neither of them did. He just continued to offer silent comfort as Todoroki cried his eyes out.


End file.
